I tried to arrive at JFK’s Delta Airlines terminal no later than 9:15 am to catch a 10:25 am flight. But the L and A trains did their usual-usual and I didn’t make it to departure check-in until 9:30 am. Delta’s policy is to refuse to check luggage that arrives less than an hour before departure, even if you’re a minute late, so they wouldn’t let me on the flight — nice.

HE editorial headquarters for the next three or four hours. This is the only available outlet in the Burger King eating area. There’s another one next to a table but some other guy has laid claim.

You’d think they’d try to be a little flexible with customers who are four or five minutes late. Maybe let the customer through if he/she smiles and pays a penalty, say. I only know that other domestic airlines have never taken me off a flight when I’ve arrived at the counter 55 minutes before departure. I’m sure Delta instituted this policy for good reason, but they could be a little less strict (i.e., pricky) about it.

The lost flight was a Salt Lake City connection flight via Las Vegas that would have put me on SLC turf around 4:30 pm. I’m now re-booked onto a non-stop flight to Salt Lake City that gets in at 7:25 pm. Mildly irksome but not a disaster.

Delta struck again when I went through security. I couldn’t fit my toiletries into the suitcase so I put them into a canvas carry-on bag. The Delta guys confiscated a large tube of toothpaste and three other items (aroma enhancers, no liquids) because their presence in the bag made it “too big.” The value of the stuff they confiscated, no exaggeration, comes to about $30 or $35 bills. Lesson: don’t ever carry bathroom stuff in a shoulder bag. But I’m also thankful that airline security professionals are so vigilant because they’re protecting us all from terrorism.

HE headquarters for the next several hours will be a Burger King on level #3 and/or the passenger lounge outside Gate 9.